This Time Imperfect
by Tesmoname
Summary: IY:YYH In an attempt to cheat time, Kagome will sleep. She hopes to wake up in modern Tokyo. Unfortunately for her things are changing,evil is arising, and nothing will ever be the same.
1. Miseria Cantare The Beginning

AN: Well this might get a little bit weird. I have no idea how I am going to get all of this out, but... Well, I am not so sure how this will turn out-it seems a little too extreme and out of the cliché genre to be accepted. This is a crossover, and I am pretty sure you will see between which animes. Well, tell me what you think. Ugh.

**For Striking Falcon, who has such wonderful stories!**

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This Time Imperfect

By: Concrete

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"_Once_ _you're lost in_ _twilight's_ _blue-_

_You_ _don't find the way,_

_The_ _way finds you…"—Joshua_ _Home_

**Miseria Cantare-The Beginning**

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**_Japan, End of Sengoku Jedai Era_**

_**Outskirtsof the land of Tokugawa, east of Sesshomaru's lands**_

Fingertips of dawn blushed over the horizon, alighting the dew upon the grass like thousands of glittering jewels before stretching to encompass the once blackened sky. The breeze that whispered amongst the trees was merely that, a warm whisper to which birds and other creatures were relieved to wake to. And after months of bitter cold and frost ridden day-break, every villager in the surrounding area greeted such a morning with a smile and a prayer to their gods. To her, it was as if some god had ripped away the beginning of one of her beloved fairy-tales and stuck it here, in the middle of Japan.

In the middle of the end…

The era of Japanese time, known as Sengoku Jedai was coming to a swift end, marking the beginning of a new age. The age that would become placed in textbooks as the era of growth. Most of Japans ideas erupted from the chaos that would surround the on-coming period. There would be technological advances and a great deal of information on medicine and other such wonders: all of which had been sadly lacking until then… But _she knew_, all of these advances and ideas were to be born from endless years of war and unrest. Sickness would break out all across Japan, and there would be war. There would be plague, there would be devastation, there would be peace, and there would be bombs from foreign soils…

All of this would befall her land before she could ever return to her home that, at this moment on such a fair day, seemed so very far away. And now she could feel the sinking cold in her stomach that she always felt when she woke in the mornings, that pressure that weighed upon her conscience, that knowing that had been accompanying her for that last twenty years.

It was so hopeless! Every morning she woke to the knowledge of what she would have to endure in order to get to her last refuge… It was five hundred years away! And every morning, as these feelings of dread attempted to pull away her resolve, the murmurs of love and adoration would reassure her. Warmth would spread delicately from her heart, to reach her all over. All the while, the whispers of need and strength would continue to pour energy and life back into her in a steady flow. It was at this hour that she would smile and sigh in exasperation, and wonder to herself how Sesshomaru was able to stand these thoughts every time he opened his eyes.

_That is, if he ever slept.'_ Kagome thought to herself as she lifted herself off of the cold and thawing forest floor. Languidly she began to stretch herself to melt away the stiffness of her limbs, all the while she attempted to gain awareness of the area around her. It was always a little difficult to work the power that she possessed, and she was, by no means, a master of it.

_Hells, you are more likely to kill yourself when fighting a youkia."_ Inuyasha had often told her so countless times.

She quickly took survey of the damage she had done to her meager supplies. "One cup left of Raman, four Twinkies, and a bottle and a half of Gatorade… Perfect." She muttered angrily before shoving said items away into a rather shoddy looking back-pack, which seemed to be the essence of a faded yellow piece of grime. Kagome had often told herself it was far past due time to rid herself of the old and filthy pack, but every time she made to do so-a grip of ice found it's fingers wound around her heart and kept her still. And the food was old. Very old. But it was the only piece of home that she had left with her, and so she refused to eat any of it-besides, living things seemed to have made homes in a few of her items.

But besides her meager provisions of dried meat, provided in return for a demon exorcism of a local village, she carried few things. Her black and white priestess garb (for try as she might, the sight of red and white upon anything of hers, brought her to tears) and a change of her ancient uniform.

That was all that she carried around with her to keep her in relative comfort, she was able to maintain some level of hygiene from herbs and pumice stones that were rather plentiful. And if she ever had need of anything-all she had had to do was pull on that priestess outfit and be accepted with open arms to any village.

That was not so now.

As of late, her powers had been less and less required by anyone. It had been weeks since her last report of a mischievous demon. There was something happening to the Land of the Setting Sun, and it was striking down the demon population. She could _feel_ it within her. Kagome knew that the youkai had inhabited this earth before humans had, and thus had first bonded with the land. And now, with so many youkai just up, and disappearing-the very earth under her feet cried out in agony. Kagome was tied to the land and to life itself: because she was a miko she was automatically tied to certain aspects of nature. The rest of her abilities…

She placed a hand over the dip between her breasts, feeling the warmth that radiated from her heart, and the energy that was continuing to merge with her completely. Kikyo had said that it would take time.

_And time is all you will have!'_ Kikyo would be laughing.

It was here, in this hallow over her heart that she felt the absence of youkai the most. It was like barbed fishhooks in her skin, _deep_ within her, and slowly being torn out. It hurt her, sometimes more acutely than other days. And it was on those days that Kagome knew _it_ was trying hardest to fully complete her. _It_ loved her so much-it just couldn't wait until it was one with its body-until it could finally be connected to life again and become her.

Kagome still found it funny that what had caused them all so much suffering, were now the whispers of the day break that kept her despair at bay.

It all seemed faintly ironic.

Even now, she could feel those pieces of her fragmented soul call out to the youkai, and the magic, which was slowly seeping from her world-where at the same time pieces of her soul yearned to speed up the process of this disappearance. Yet Kagome knew that this was only a side effect of not being completely whole. And she hoped that once she was, she would be able to finally control herself and her powers.

And maybe use them to stop whatever it was that was hurting the land so much.

However, Kagome knew that she had to figure out what was going on immediately. Part of her being able to traverse the Western Lands was that she had to defer to its leader. Essentially she was to be Sesshomaru's eyes and ears wherever she went. Sometimes she still laughed at herself for not reading the fine print when Sesshomaru had offered her his home.

_How retarded._' She had cursed him over and over for that little clause of her unseen contract. Yes she would defer to Sesshomaru-and report to him all. Well, she figured she might as well work for her board right?

But all bitter thoughts of the youkai lord were fast and fading from her fully wakened mind, instead it was replaced by a rather nagging sense of foreboding and fear. Something was going to happen today. She could feel it within her essence! And quite contrarily, Kagome feared for Sesshomaru, because whether she (or he for that matter) like it or not, he was all she had left next to her boy…

"Mother, you smell agitated." From above her head floated down the voice of her kitsune pup, Shippo. He had grown up amazingly well, he was responsible and courageous, ruthless in battle, and a firm negotiator. Those were all of Sesshomaru's traits she knew it! And he knew it too. On days, when Shippo was feeling mischievous-Sesshomaru merely grimaced and ordered her to keep _her brat_ in order. Yet on days when Shippo had done a particularly good job at deferring insufferable nobles, or done well in spar-Sesshomaru would capture her with his patronizing gaze and say, _Perhaps there is hope for Rin's Lord after all._'

Which was fine, Sesshomaru could claim the kitsune on those days when he played the politician-but when she and Shippo were alone together all of the facades dropped _Almost as if nothing had ever changed._'

Kagome was startled from her wool gathering by Shippo waving a delicately clawed hand before her eyes, "Oh sorry runt!" She said sheepishly, using Inuyasha's nickname for him-a sure sign that she had been reminiscing, "What were you saying?" As she spoke she pushed herself into action, breaking their hastily made camp.

Her devious son eyed her specutivaley with one brilliant emerald orb. Absently she reached over him to pull his russet hair into a low que at the nape of his neck. She noted that Shippo had picked up on his fathers' style of hair dress. Long and unruly.

Sesshomaru was going to have to beat that out of him.

Shippo cleared his throat again, this time his eyes filled with feigned hurt and accusation. "Nothing I say matters."

Kagome laughed quietly as she stuffed random objects into their packs. "I am sorry Shippo, please continue. I just can't seem to get my thoughts in order today."

"That is what I wanted to talk to you about." He began.

"My thoughts?"

The 27 year old kitsune sighed, "Not exactly-

"Nothing I think matters." She pouted teasingly, and was further encouraged by the enthusiastic mewl from Kirara who sat picturesquely on a blossoming tree.

Shippo held up his hands in surrender. "Okay okay. I deserved that."  
But his smile quickly faded, "Now stop trying to distract me from the topic at hand Mother." He said with Sesshomaru's tones of reproach. "I feel something changing. I am not sure what it is, but I feel uneasy. I think that we should head back to the castle. I am sure that Lord Sesshomaru already is aware of what is going on but.." He trailed off, he too was packing away miscellaneous items.

"You just miss Rin." Kagome laughed at Shippo's rather pink face, but inside of her she could feel her chest cavity burn slightly. _No,_ she thought to herself, _nothing is going to happen._'

Still, she would feel better when she was able to cross over into Sesshomaru's immediate territory.

After all of the things that Sesshomaru had done to her and her friends during the hunt for the sacred jewel shards, you would think that anyone with a sane mind would run from him at his sight. Run _far_.

Well Kagome had long ago had nowhere left to run-and. Now, it had either been Sesshomaru or the world, and with such a heavy ominous feeling weighing upon her tongue, she thought perhaps she would find more safety with the former…

**_Nearing the heart of the Western Lands_**

Shippou continued to send his mother strange glances as they made their way to the heart of the Taiyoukai's lands. He knew that Kagome and Sesshomaru did not particularly get along, and he knew that it was all the inuyoukai's fault. Kagome was a tool, and advantage over all of those who would seek to usurp his throne as Lord. After all, who would have such a powerful miko on their side?

In Shippo's eyes, it was Sesshomaru's only flaw, that and the fact that the guy couldn't crack a decent smile. Still, he just could not believe that Sesshomaru had not taken Kagome as his mate as soon as everything had been said and done! Even now, Shippo stared at his mother and could find no flaw about her. And to his embarrassment, he knew that it was this way of seeing Kagome that made his such a.. _How did Mother put it? Ah yes…_' such a mama's boy'.

Kagome was powerful, and he did not mean magically. Kagome had long ago trained with a powerful taijia. demon slayer, and a buhdist monk.

_Sango, Miroku..'_

It had been so long ago since he had last thought about his lost companions. And vaguely he wondered how often Kagome thought about them.. He then prayed that he too would not be forgotten when he decided, if ever, to leave this earth.

And briefly he allowed a smile to cross his handsome features, for he knew that one sure way to cast you name into time, was to cast your seed into your wife! Sure, Rin was not yet technically his wife-but she would be! He had already managed to gain her hand from Sesshomaru, who had-if anything-seemed relieved that he had secured something of a future for his 27 year old ward. And now that he would have the love of his life at his side, he could ensure that his line and his blood would flow on forever… In fact-he wondered if perhaps Rin was already with child. That thought alone turned the young kitsune into a proverbial sun, he glowed so bright.

Kagome smiled back at him from upon Kirara's back, "Why Shippo! I do believe someone is feeling his ego." She was mocking him all in good fun, and simultaneously she was showing him her approval.

He couldn't have loved her more.

"Of course, but what makes me so happy are subjects that are to gruesome for a mother to hear of." His nose was turned up into the air in mock representation of those people his mother had once told him about. Those people against feminism? She had made a general comment towards the entire male population , but he had brushed it aside.

Kagome snorted, "Yeah, I swear Shippo, if this breeze blows any harder- I think I might just snap in half!" She cherished moments like these. Moments where she and her son, her link to the past (and consequently present) could momentarily forget all the sorrow that had perpetrated their lives, and the burden of duty that still lay upon her shoulders.

Kagome smiled down at the dirt path that they had been traversing for the better part of three-hours. She tried to focus on the sunshine and its warmth, the breeze, the forest that surrounded her. She tried to think of anything but the enigma that lay inside her heart, or the unsettling weight that was suffocating her. Stubbornly she shoved these thoughts away from her mind, just wanting to spend time with her son! But it was to no avail.

Just then a sharp pain erupted within her chest, and her eyes flew open in bewilderment and pain. _NO!'_

"Kagome!" Shippo raced over to the fallen form of his surrogate mother, trying desperately to interoperate the meaning of her hands clasped tightly over her chest. "Kagome, what is it!"

But Kagome could not find the breath to answer the anxious youkai, for the land beneath her feet was wailing in anger and remorse. Pain and grief such as she had never experienced began to overwhelm her. Even her thoughts seemed to be unreadable, to her! She couldn't sort through what had happened, everything hurt too much to think.

So, on pure instinct, Kagome reached for the one who had been her pillar, however stoic and annoying, throughout the time since The Merging. However, as her heart, and all the power it contained, reached for the Western Lord-she was shocked to find only emptiness.

"Gone!" She gasped, cobalt blue eyes growing even darker against her ghostly pallor. "He's gone!"

Shippo stared at her for a second, not comprehending anything that she was saying. And then it dawned upon him. Vast amounts of youkai had been disappearing. There had never appeared to be any sign of struggle, it was as if heaven itself opened to swallow whole the demonic population. From what he had gathered from Kagome, this disappearance directly affected the land, and that the spirit of the land itself seemed to be fading.

"Who's gone mother! Mother!" He grasped her shoulders frantically, fearing what would pass her lips.

She seemed to understand his turmoil, for she began to weep, "I never knew, that he meant so much to the land!" _Oh Gods Sesshomaru come back!'_

Shippo clenched his teeth in frustration. If whatever had taken the other youkai, had taken Sesshomaru-then it was only a matter of time….

"No, NO!" Kagome now sat up, her energy apparently returned. Her lips were set defiantly in a firm line, and her eyes blazed liked burning coals. "You will not go, do you hear me? I will _not let you go too_!" Her aura was flaring and spiking alarmingly, and it was slightly hostile, forcing him to move away from her.

Kagome stay were she lay upon the road and held him with her gaze until finally Shippo nodded, "It won't take me Mother. Let's make towards the castle-I have to see Rin."

Kagome nodded, pushing a rogue strand of ebony hair away from her face before unfolding her length in one smooth liquid movement. "Yes," she whispered, "Let us make to the castle."

**_At Sesshomaru's Castle_**

Kagome hurriedly leapt from Kirara's back and rushed towards the silent estate that had once belonged to the late Lord Sesshomaru. Ever since his disappearance, and presumed death, Kagome had begun to feel the spirit of the land slipping away, faster than ever before. Almost as fast as Shippo had run into the estate, ripping away the shoji doors in his haste.

She clenched her hands into fists and told herself over and over that nothing was going to happen to Shippo, he would be right out in just a moment! And then she heard him roar, a terrible sound that resonated throughout the hillsides, it was a scream of sorrow and loss-and it froze Kagome to the bone.

_Your life is mine Naraku!'_

_Inuyasha no! The Jewel!'_

_Kagome!'_

_Get up Kagome! Please!'_

_Where are they?'_

_Oh it wont stop bleeding Inuyasha!'_

_KAGOME!'_

So much pain. And now, as Kagome stood blankly in what was once Sesshomaru's vast halls, her hand lay over the wound that marred her chest-she thought: What is wrong with the world? For even then she could feel the lands magic slipping away… And then.

"No!" She whispered fiercely, her hands holding viciously to her chest-she could feel that thing, whatever was sucking the life out of her world, attempting to harness the power that had yet to merge within her! "No." She said again vehemently, she had no idea what this sort of power would do to the balance of the world were it to be unleashed-or sucked away. Once-a long time ago she had allowed someone to take this power, but she could not allow that now. Not when it was so clear that it would accept no other mistress. It wanted Kagome.

It would have her.

Kagome began to traverse the labyrinth in hurried steps, feeling out the aura of the one thing she would need to solve all of her problems. She knew that it was selfish of her to be leaving, to be thinking only of herself-but there was no one else around.

Yet just thinking of the next 500 years spent alone and isolated from both past and future struck fear into the very core of her being. She knew there was a way to preserve the Shikon's power until it had fully merged with her soul, and that in doing so-would be able to pass through the sorrows of time as if in sleep.

She had reached her destination, and without hesitation Kagome reached out to claim the sword Tensusaiga. It pulsed weakly in her hands, calling out for its true master, and in an attempt to subject it to her command she allowed some of her power to flow over the weapon like flowing bolts of silk, "Please," she whispered hoarsely, her eyes shinning with happiness at the thought that perhaps she had finally found a way out of all the pain and suffering of life, she then closed her eyes before plunging the sword through her heart.

Pain-pain so intense she could not move at all. She felt the blade of life slide through the fading form of the Shikon no Tama, and felt the release of power it triggered into her. She closed her eyes as wave upon wave of agony fell over her. But patiently she rode them out, knowing that when it was over-she would be fine.

It was as her plan began to take effect, as her heart stopped beating and her quick spell ( a simple activation enchantment for anything, she preyed it would be enough for a weapon of this caliber) that he came to her. Even as her dark eyes began to flutter and close, his emerald eyes were wide with disbelief. "Mama."

Oh he sounded so very young, just like when he was nothing more than a kit in her arms. Remembering this, Kagome managed a smile to grace her face. "Shippo, I will wake up, and I will be home again!" Tears flowed down her eyes, even as they did his.

Yet she had to look away from his face, for written their was grief, betrayal, love, and fear. "Don't leave me!" He suddenly cried, and reached as if to pull free Tensusaiga.

"No Shippo!" Kagome cried weakly before placing her wraithlike hands over his own, "this will keep the power in me, and when the time comes I will wake back up-thanks to Sesshomaru's sword." She smiled up at him even as blood began to stain her lips, "You tell that man that one day he _will_ have to remove that stick from his ass eh?" Her hand cupped his pale cheek and felt the warmth from the salty liquid that flowed over her fingertips. "I do love you Shippo. I loved them all you know?"

Her hand fell away from his face and her eyes dulled to a gray, "You were my light and laughter Shippo."

And with that, Kagomes body gave a great shudder and her breath passed her lips in a strangled yet relieved hiss. And Shippo, poor Shippo could only hold tight to his mother's hands before that great think pulled his essence away, but not before he whispered in reply, "Forget Mother, but know that I love you too." And with tears in h is eyes, he let his soul and body be lifted up and away, leaving Kagome to lay unmoving in the elegant stone halls, like a statue of misery she lay there.

But it had been his hope that one day the cold stone hall would crumble around her, and revile and revive to her life, love, and laughter once again. For if she remained forever in despair of her past and what could no longer be, then he felt certain this would repeat itself.

And that would not do.

So even as his spirit took its true form high in a new world, his heart and soul were directed towards Kagome, and how he could be sure to make her remember him, and thus the light and the laughter that the world had to offer her.

For even the barriers that were beginning to fall between his world and hers, he knew that that alone would _never_ keep him or his from her. After all, he was kitsune…

**_In the realm of the Makai or Spirit World_**

Emma stared at the scene before him with a mixture of both relief and frustration. Hopefully now, with the demons and the magic's of the human's world gone, the humans would actually have a chance to thrive. Separate from the other species that tended to feast upon their flesh and blood.

Still, he could hear the land scream in anger because of what he had done. And the wail had pierced his heart, still he knew that once the barriers were still, then the voice of the land would fall silent, or upon deaf ears again.

"How did I ever let you convince me into separating the worlds?" He asked the four figures who stood behind him.

The first, and tallest of the four flashed him a very fanged grin, "Oi, there really wasn't that much need for convincing, right monk?"

Miroku nodded his assent, "Indeed Emma, we are sure you would have thought of this yourself had we not come along."

The two women accompanying them showed varying degrees of amusement. Kikyo then waited until Emma had ambled away from them before whispering, "Will she have a chance? Will they?"

Sango allowed her shoulders to slump in weariness, "Well I have to tell you both, this sort of death really sucks. I had no idea what a secretary was before this," she mumbled while displaying various paper cuts.

"We are doing it for Kagome and the rest of them. She has to help them, or they will never succeed." Miroku said quietly as he observed the broken yet beautiful body of Kagome amongst Sesshomaru's ruins.

Inuyasha grimaced "Don't look at that Miroku.."

Sango nodded, her eyes stinging from tears, "Oh Kagome-

"Will be fine." Kikyo interjected, her dark eyes fierce. "Have some faith in her and in what she can do." She smiled at the woman who had held her soul and thought sadly,

_It is now or never Kagome dear. Time to prove if you were worth dying for._'


	2. The New Intrigue Mysterious Faces

AN: Another chapter. Enjoy my enthusiasm.

Yeah.

**For Those Who Can Read The Darker Side Of Romance!**

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This Time Imperfect

By: Concrete (Tesmoname)

**The New Intrigue**

**Mysterious Faces**

**-**

Kurama glared angrily at Hiei for what seemed the millionth time that day, and still it seemed as if the fire and ice apparition didn't give a damn. Which, of course, only served to irritate the avatar kitsune even more. "Excuse me Hiei?" Kurama cleared his throat once, and then twice.

'_HIEI!' _Kurama screamed with what had been so far his loudest mental voice, finally able to attract a reaction out of the youkai, even if it was a wince. Still, Hiei seemed to get the picture and gave Kurama his undivided (if not begrudged) attention.

"What is it fox?" Hiei's voice was cold and monotonous, yet his eyes held a very clear threat to his red headed companion who was still trying to reign in his own temper. And the threat was…

: _Remark upon this and die:_

Finally Kurama sighed in defeat before turning back into the living room in order to turn off the television before he went to sleep. Mentally though, he reminded himself to put a lock on the sweats closet, in hopes of preventing any more midnight raids upon his groceries.

Not that it would serve any purpose. Hiei was, after all, an accomplished thief.

'_That still doesn't mean he can steal from me.'_ He thought with annoyance, tired of having to clean up after the hybrid's nightly raids.

With a sigh he walked into his bedroom, fully intent upon taking a nice warm shower and then going to sleep.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

His left eye twitched and time came to a grinding halt.

BEEP BEEP BEEP: "Oi! I know you are there Kurama! Now pick up!"

Emerald eyes flashed golden in a rare display of annoyance before he complied with the voice's demands. Warily he reached down, slender fingers wrapping around the circular device before flipping open the cover-like contraption, praying to any gods willing to listen that it wasn't who he knew it was.

"Oh! There you are, Botan here!" Blue hair filled the blurry screen, and wide red eyes peered straight into his own. Cheerful tones reverberated through the mini-set of speakers, heralding on what was sure to be a blistering headache.

Somehow, though, he managed to keep his voice perfectly neutral-if not pleasant. "How may I help you?"

"The usual. You know-Koenma-san has something for you guys to do. If you see any of the other four pass along the message?"

Kurama nodded, already moving back towards the kitchen to grab a notepad and pencil. "Of course. I will be there as soon as possible."

She smiled at him then. "Thanks Kurama-I knew I could count on you!"

And then the screen went mercifully blank. Though it wasn't as if he didn't exactly like the deity of death-in fact he was at one point, quite taken with her, but after so many years of doing gruesome missions, he had hoped at least some of her excessiveness would have worn out.

But he had never, in either of his lives, had such luck.

'_Hiei? Are you there?'_ He called out even as he scribbled down a note-just in case the apparition should stop by while he was away.

'**_What is it fox?'_** The paper was immediately crumpled between his slender fingers.

'_A mission, from Koenma.'_

'**_And?'_** Was the irritated reply.

'_Your presence is required.'_ He offered up in hopes of re-directing Hiei's obvious aggravation. Kurama was about to make more excuses on the demi-god's behalf when the mind-link was harshly severed, along with all hopes that this night would pass hastily, and peacefully.

- - -

_I am sleeping… I am waiting…_

_Wake me up wont you dearest?_

_Take me to those I know_

_Bring me close so I am nearest._

_I am sleeping… I can't be dreaming…_

"Ugh! Turn it off! Please! No more of this torture." The loud protests echoed from the backseat of Kuwabara's ever-so-stylish mini-van, directed entirely at the two red-heads who sat in the front.

'**_I agree with the imbecile. Turn off that noise.'_**

But the other members of the team shook their heads. "No way Urameshi, this is the newest single from Utada Hikaru! How could you not like this?" As if to prove his point, he began to sway with the music that was becoming increasingly fast paced.

"Indeed, this is the newest rave amongst the teenage population." Kurama offered, hoping once again to pacify the opposing members of his team. He himself happened to like the lyrics, thinking they had a somber quality that made him infinitely happier.

The beat however…

"God-fucking-damn it Kuwabara! Knock that shit off!"

While the kitsune had been musing to himself, the driver of the two-ton machine had begun to sway the car in tune with the tempo of the music. It was alarming in the way that he would swerve drastically into oncoming traffic, only to swerve back on two-wheels… all the while singing quite off tune.

Kurama turned back towards Yusuke and Hiei, about to suggest if they should walk from here when Kuwabara shouted, "Look! Our exit!"

Yusuke screamed.

Kurama shut his eyes and sunk into his seat.

Hiei had left as soon as the tall red-head had begun to sing.

_Take a breath as we turn the bend_

_this wild ride of ours-_

_let's hope that it never ends!_

_Because I am sleeping… dead or dre-_

A loud, blue explosion rocked the high-center-of gravity vehicle, causing the three remaining occupants to swear and grip tightly to whatever offered them the best purchase.

"What the fuck was that Urameshi?"

Once again Kurama chanced opening his eyes, glancing back at his leader through the safety of the rear-view-mirror. He looked and found the boy squirming slightly in his seat, but a large grin of accomplishment distilled any thoughts that he felt guilty.

"Keh. I really didn't like that song."

- - -

It took them longer to drive out to the mountain than they had originally thought, and when they did arrive-Hiei was waiting. He didn't say anything, just raised his eyebrows in mockery before turning to survey the hillside.

The darkness of night had done wonders in increasing the malevolence of the scenery. Now every bush glared at them with open menace, and every shadow crept upon them sensuously.

The hybrid felt at home.

But to the rest of the Spirit Detectives, everything was daunting and slightly frightening. There was an underlining current of malice that permeated the very air they breathed, sending shivers up their spines.

"Where are we?" Yusuke asked, his voice sending the shadows into a frenzy.

His words did nothing to unveil the mystery of the isolated mountain, the name of which could only be called Kimishima, the once glorified home of a great demon… Koenma had sent them here to search for some dormant artifact, the details of which were ambiguous at best. But he had said nothing about the nearly over powering aura that lay over the surface.

"I believe that this is where we are to begin our search." Kurama stated, zipping up his jacket a little higher, as if it would add some sort of extra protection against the paranormal effect this place was having on him.

Yusuke snorted, but did not reply. Instead, he focused his attention out to the sentient darkness, just knowing that what they were in search of lay out there.

"Care to tell me once again, why this couldn't have waited for another time?" Kuwabara began, his teeth chattering with his heightened senses, "like until, I don't know, daylight?"

"Whatever spell has hid the artifact is weakened during the new-moon." Came Hiei's monotonous reply as he began to walk forwards towards the tree-line.

- - -

The sea was angry.

Waves rose up, cresting high, a boiling abyss of dark rage and turmoil. White foam speckled as the water drifted away from the shores, only to reach higher, and higher with a hunger and a fury that could never be satisfied. It reached into the shadows, searching with a deadly intent.

The darkness of its fathomless waters drowned out even the pitch black of the night, as it spread and turned toward its prey.

It was no use. Not matter how hard she tried or struggled, she could not free herself from the waves.

She gasped in a large amount of salt water, crying, pleading to be released from the darkness. "Help me! Somebody save me!"

The current tugged at her relentlessly, pulling her deeper and deeper into the vicious darkness. Despair. Hopelessnes..

"MOTHER!" She woke herself with her screams.

But other than that one disturbance the night was still and silent. And, dark and suspicious, the moon turned its weary gaze to one of her children.

The moon saw all, and was Mother to all, she took care of the ones who needed her. She protected her innocent ones. But now she lay in slumber, the time where she was deaf and dead to the cries of one little girl. 

But the night itself was not deaf, no it was not. The night heard her, and it laughed. It rejoiced. And it wanted. The little girl was now forever in its possession, she was an offering to them sent by the evil man. He had brought the innocent child to them, allowed them to touch her in ways that no being of flesh would ever be able to.

And because of this, they where pleased. The night had decided to share this girl and her tangible fear with the one who had brought her to them, they would let this man do with her what he would… but she would now always be theirs. Forever theirs.

The night had seen things that would make the sun run and hide amongst the clouds.

The night had heard things that were not lullaby's, no, they were the tortured screams of earth's children who where afraid to sleep without a night light. Hoping to keep the darkness at bay.

Still, it was no use. The all encompassing darkness reigned supreme. Shattered only by the few, brave stars that would not abandon the hope, the light.

But where was her light? Shackled to a dark and dank cellar, the darkness was all and nothing, the night was her only hope now. And its shadows where despairing. For they jumped and danced invisibly, whispering sweet nothings in her ear, giddy with pleasure when she would elicit a frightened squeal, or groan.

There in the dark, where no human would care, or notice. The shadows caressed her with a frenzy when she sobbed or shed a tear.

It was their comfort.

It was her nightmare.

And it loved her like she would never be loved again. It touched her in a way nothing else ever could.

The night sent shivers along her skin with merely a flick of its malice filled wrist. Scratching against the wall of her prison.

This girl would be theirs. She would belong to the night.

In this place, where only she would hear and understand, the wind whispered reassurances.

A rhapsody that made her despair all the more.

Because she did not think that this gloom would ever release her.

Free her.

She was cold. Alone and utterly, remarkably, undeniably cold.

In fact, she would have been willing to bet that she had acquired frost bite on the bottom of her toes. That is, if she had known what frostbite was.

"Oh man.." She wheezed out as the stars began to brighten. "Where am I?" She asked herself for what seemed the millionth time. "I want to go home," The little girl cried out as the shadows seemed to inch malevolently closer to her. "Please!" She called out into the gathering darkness.

"Please," She sobbed as she pulled against her shackles, creating shallow cuts where the metal touched her.

Shoulders slumped, head bowed in defeat, the girl cried.

"Please let me go.." The little girl's hair was tangled and matted with her own vomit and tears. Blood ran down from above her eyebrow where the evil man had hit her… with the sharp metal…

Memories rained down upon her, and suddenely she realized that she didn't want to go back home after all. Just somewhere else-anywhere but here.

"Stop crying child.." A deceptively calm, honey coated voice broke through the night. Creating the illusion of safety.

"Stop crying my innocent one.."

However, the girl did not seem relieved, instead she tensed in fear. "W..Why?" She turned warm brown eyes to her captor, biting back a scream when she realized that this was the evil man who had done this to her.

This was the man who had murdered her family right before her eyes: Creeping upon her mother while she was sleeping, cutting off her strangled screams with a ring of metal… dripping a trail of blood into her room to show her, to maker her realize…

She began to sob again, she was alone with this man, this crazy man who had taken her from her home. From her warmth.

She began to shiver in her fright, "W..Why d..did you take me?" She said through her chattering teeth to the man who hid from her sight.

She expected the man to disappear without answering her, expected him to go away again and leave her all alone.

So she was quit startled and frightened when he turned to her and flashed her a pretty, pearly, white smile. The smile of a predator who has found his prey, the smile of a monster.

And though the shadows scratched his face, making it hard for her to make out much of him, she knew that he was ugly. After all, only ugly people could do such horrible things. Only ugly people would break her brother's fingers one, by one as he made her listen. Made her watch.

How soon she would realize that the most evil creations came wrapped in the pretties of packages.

"Simple," He said

She was then glancing up at his face, not aware of the fact that his voice had lost all traces of its sugar sweet tones.

She did notice though, the slightly mad look in his cold blue eyes.

"What?" She asked, her voice grating and hoarse.

Again with the toothy smile. Under ordinary circumstances, the eight year old girl might have giggled and complimented him on it.

Instead she was reminded of a shark, with it's rows and rows of sharp, cannibal teeth.

She shivered, much to his pleasure.

"You, my innocent one." He said, "Are bait. And soon, you wont be alone."

And with a whisper of a breeze he fled, back into the arms of the dark.

As soon as she was alone, the night crept back upon her. Lashing out, its mind set upon reclaiming what was theirs.

And she was again alone.

Alone and cold.

- - -

"Damn, can we just get this over with?" Yusuke asked through clenched teeth, his eyes never stilling in their scan through the thick woods. "This place is giving me the creeps."

Kuwabara nodded his agreement and picked up the pace, making a bee-line through the dark forest towards where he felt the energy.

As soon as they had entered the tree-line, all four of them had recognized that this was no ordinary forest. It was old, that much Youko had been able to tell them. But what more, it was full of strange energies, the likes of which hadn't been felt for over half a millennia.

It had started with the child-like scream that had erupted chillingly from Kuwabara's throat. His entire face had paled considerably, and he had complained that someone was digging in his grave.

Now they were following him straight into god knows what, relying upon his strange 'sixth sense' to take them to the end of their mission.

"Do you think that Hiei has found it yet?" The tall orange-haired teen asked as he stumbled over a large tree root… one he would have sworn hadn't been there two-seconds ago.

Right behind him, Kurama stepped daintily over said root before replying, "I am not sure. If he continued in this direction at his speed, then I can only assume that-

"I found it."

Yusuke swore loudly and slammed his fist into the nearest tree, burying the appendage up to his shoulder. "Fuck-it Hiei, make some god-damned noise!"

"Hn."

"I'll fucking 'hn' you, you little fuc-

Kurama sighed before laying a restraining hand upon Yusuke's green bomber jacket. "Let us here about what he has found." He then directed his gaze towards Hiei, who was smirking ever so slightly.

"It is three clicks from here, so you fools will have to pick up the pace if you wish to reach it before day-break."

Kuwabara shuddered at the thought of more forest. "Why didn't you just grab the damned thing when you were there?" He asked.

The apparition glared down at him from his position in the trees. "Idiot, if I could have done so-I would have."

"You'll forgive me if I don't fucking believe your sorry ass." Yusuke growled, having a hard time suppressing the small amount of demon blood that ran through his veins. He wasn't sure what was happening exactly, but he knew that this forest was doing strange things to him… and he didn't exactly like it.

The youko inside of Kurama chose that moment to make himself known, pushing forwards, restraining against Kurama's will as much as he could. "If you don't mind me saying so…" he purred, "then may I suggest we make haste? The spirits here are not exactly… happy with our presence."

The gold receded into green, and what was red-shot with silver, once again turned back into it's former crimson glory.

The other three blinked down at him in astonishment, though some hid it better than others.

'_**Fox.'**_

Kurama sighed _again._ Something that he was doing a lot of lately. _'I blame it all on their rampant teenage hormones.'_ He told himself over and over, in hopes that it would shed more light on the situation.

But Youko begged to differ. _'No, you are just sexually frustrated. I believe nowadays it is called ' horny.'_

Kurama choked on the air he had been trying to breathe, once again drawing to him the attention of his fellow team-mates. "Ah-yes. Well, let us take his advice and proceed with haste."

Yusuke smirked, "Ever so eloquent Kurama. Let's go." He took the lead this time since he knew where they were headed and speed off, into the darkness.

- - -

You know, I don't think that it was such a good idea."

Golden eyes turned towards his own. "Too late to voice your opinion brat. What is done is done."

"Yeah-but, you could have told me!"

The molten eyes were now filled with harsh amusement. "Really? Now let me see here…"

"Hey! If I could have done it, then I would have!" The third presence spoke up suddenly, earning himself a start from his two companions.

"But being dead does limit ones use of normal means to communicate."

He looked down at his hands and cursed. "Don't I know it. But what about Raizen? Was that such a good idea? Putting that particular gene in with that…"

"It didn't affect her. It only worked on the boy."

"Again. I don't think that was such a good idea."

The first voice was adamant about that much.

Golden Eyes merely bared his fangs in annoyance. "Well it was better than your bright idea! That brat of yours doesn't even realize that he has that gene."

The Third voice spoke up once again, using placating tones. "Now now, you two underestimate the strength of your own bloodlines."

He turned his violet stare on the two before him. "Shippo, InuYasha is right, what is done is done. He did what he thought was best to protect her family."

The tall flame-haired man glared at his long-time friend. "It didn't help in the long run now did it?"

InuYasha snarled at the kitsune. "Shut your mouth! If I had flesh and bones I would nock the living shit out of you!" He threatened, his golden gaze turning sharp and flinty, daring the smart-mouth to continue with his thoughts.

"Everything-everything that I have ever done had been for Kagome!"

This time Shippo didn't even attempt to hold back the bitter laugh that spewed forth from between his lips. Angrily he shoved his clawed hands inside of the folds of his voluminous sleeves. "Hm. Even when it came to Kik-

"I said SHUT YOUR M-

Miroku sighed from the grey-scaled corner in which he sat, unable to do more than watch as his two good friends fought… again. '_They do this every time Shippo visits.'_

"YOU TOOK HER FROM ME!"

"You LET HER SPEAR HERSELF!"

"Oh yeah? Well who let her die first? You fucking-

"Language Shippo. What would your mother say?" Miroku chided, his spirit form glowing with his amusement, and annoyance.

But the kitsune merely sulked. "Well, why don't we ask her?" He began, a large painful smile upon his face. "Oh, yeah" InuYasha grimaced, his ears folding back on his head. "BECAUSE SHE IS-

"Cease your tirade kit."

All three jumped and spun at the sound of Sesshoumaru's cold voice, their eyes wide. "What the fuck are you doing here?" InuYasha asked, his eyes taking in the shimmering form of the once great Taiyoukai of the West.

The demon lord grimaced. "Isn't it obvious? That annoying twit who guards the river Styx came for my soul." He smirked, "it was time for her to collect."

Shippo stared on, his own eyes as big as saucers. His father figure, second father figure, was dead?

"How did this happen?" Shippo asked.

A clawed hand reached up to run a hand through his hair. "Carelessness on my part."

Miroku clenched his staff and stood abruptly, "You were killed?"

The room fell silent.

"Father?" Rin entered the room, a large smile on her face as she rushed to embrace the stoic demon lord. She didn't even seemed faze that she could now touch him…

She then disengages herself from her father and made her way over to Shippo. She could not touch him.

"Hello lovely." He whispered, his emerald orbs retracing every feature, burning them anew into his heart. "How have you been?"

Rin smiled, "just fine considering. It has been awhile since you last visited. How is the family?"

InuYasha smirked, "He cant keep track of them anymore, there are so many running around the Makai with your blood. Even," he sent Shippo a significant glance, "In the Ningenkai."

The fox merely laughed, "Let it not be said that I didn't know how to plea-

Sesshoumaru grunted and Rin turned five different shades of red. "_Shippo!_" She hissed, "Shut up!"

"Yes, do that."

Sesshoumaru's voice seemed to startle Rin, for she turned to face him with wide eyes. "How did you manage to land yourself here father?"

The elegant youkai seemed to hesitate in his answer, if only for a moment, before he replied. "As I said, it was mostly carelessness on my part." He paced forwards a couple of steps until he was in the center of the room. He quickly manipulated the floor to create for him a seat. "I was investigating recent activity at the edge of the Graves, reports of spiritual activity." He glanced at his daughter, almost apologetically before adding, "without the Tensusaiga."

She gasped.

"They caught me off guard, using old spells. I almost didn't remember them." He fell into contemplative silence for what seemed like an eternity before murmuring, "I realized that without the Tensusaiga, I was dead. And so-didn't fight the ferry girl. Though I would have liked to rip out her-

"Ahem!"

Once again, the occupants in the room jumped towards the newest voice, only to find the girl, Botan, glaring down at Sesshoumaru. "Well!" She hmphed, and then gestured to Shippo. "Time's up Mi'Lord."

Shippo nodded, but stopped when Sesshoumaru glanced at him. "Listen close boy. Speak of this to Enma, or if need be, his son. But tell no one else. Whatever it is that comes will not bode well. Seeing as how the Makai will already be in an uprising over my unfortunate demise, I see no need to make the situation even worse."

Shippo nodded and turned to leave, but threw back over his shoulder. "I won't be long for this world Rin. Wait for me?"

And then he was gone.

Rin looked to InuYasha and Miroku worriedly, "What? What did he mean? That dumb fool better not do anything rash! Or-or, Rin will just strangle him!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "He knows that it is almost time for her to awaken. I think he will wait to see her released before he comes here to rest child."

The hanyou growled. "I don't like that we aren't there to help her if what happened to you was more than a fluke."

Sango-who had entered with Kikyo moments before, laughed bitterly. "I think you are right to worry old friend."

Kikyo nodded and then finished. "Yes, if Sesshoumaru is dead, then it must indeed be more than a mere fluke."

Botan coughed again, louder. "I am sorry-but you will all have to go back to your resting places," her red eyes were sad. She hadn't been able to hear what they had said, but it was very obvious that they were unhappy to be leaving so soon.

But Sango merely smiled. "Come along love, you must be tired." She reached down to help Miroku stand, and he glanced at her appraisingly.

"Not too tired…"

They all laughed.

- - -

"It hurts!" Yusuke cried out, cradling his hand to his chest, cringing at the smell of his burnt flesh. "What is this thing?"

Kurama tentatively allowed his own had to caress the shimmering blue barrier before he too, jerked his hand away with a hiss.

Yusuke rolled his eyes, "When I say, 'Holly fuck It hurts', generally that means 'learn from me dumb ass and don't touch!"

The kitsune avatar turned his flinty gaze towards his leader. "I-

"God! That was weird!"

Hiei, Yusuke, and Kurama all turned simultaneously to see Kuwabara shivering uncontrollably… on the other side of the barrier.

"Hey! How did you do that?" Yusuke asked, angry that his comrade was able to one-up him in front of the entire team.

"It must be a barrier preventing demons from entering." Kurama supplied, shrugging off the majin's glare. "Do you have a better explanation Yusuke?"

The boy in question squared his shoulder with a grin. "Nope, but that this is coming down." He readied himself and positioned his legs shoulder length apart and slowly lifted his hand in front of him.

Kuwabara yelped and scrambled for cover, cursing Yusuke to the slowest death possible.

But the boy ignored all of this and merely smirked before yelling. "SHOT GUN!"

The barrier came crashing down.

- - -

**AN:** Okay then. This is a boring chapter. But it is important-I know that it doesn't explain much, (it is a little too ambiguous for even my tastes) but it is the foreshadowing chapter. Hehe. So-I promise to have another chapter out sooner than it took me to post this one. Okay? Sound good? Btw. That wasn't really a Utada Hikaru song. I just felt like making one up too suit the drive. Clever eh? No? Ah well.

**RESPONSES:**

**Kin-chan Pandun**: I always love your reviews. They are always so helpful and motivating! The fic that you referenced, yes I have read it-and LOVED IT! The whole fusion thing? I tend to use that a lot in my fics. A lot of people do-which is sorta making it cliché…. sad eh? So many questions! Okay, lets see. No chapters are to be dedicated between then and now. SImpley because it would ruin pieces of the plot! You will see. Also: Shippo does have descendants, just remember that since Rin was human, all of his children wont have pure youkai blood. And the reason as to why Shippo roared? I know that was rather ambiguous (at best) but remember that he mentioned in the first chapter that Rin might already be pregnant? Well, the barriers are taking away the demons right? And whatever she had in her belly would have demon blood, therefore they were taken away into the Makai-so when Shippo showed up, she was gone. Leaving him pretty pissed. I hope that helps with that. As to the other stuff, just wait and see! I think soon things will get moving and all will become clear. I hope. Thank you for the review! I love it!

**Tantalizing:** Thank you so much! You have no idea how hard I try with my grammar and stuff. I don't have a beta reader so I have to try and look at my work from a thousand different perspectives to see which format would be best. And yes! You got it right. Rin was pregnant and therefore torn from the world.. Yeah, the sword-in-the-miko take I left pretty vague. I want it to be cleared up in the next chapter. Mostly so that it would be as gruesome as possible, raw. Anyways, thank you for your input! Thanks for pointing those out. I do plan on revision later, and those have been noted (to shame! ack)

**Shabopo:** Yeah! You reviewed this! I have always loved your work and your review just made my fricken day. Well, those typos will be changed… sometimes. But I will try hard to do better. I hope you continue reading-I do already have the pairings set, but I don't think that you will be disappointed. Although some characters are definitely going to go through the wringer. Thanks again!

**Ryukotsusei:** No, overall this wouldn't be extreme. But coming from me this is. All of my old stuff was very… fluffy. And I have been wanting to do some different stuff. All of my new work is going to be a bit darker-which I know you like! I love your fanfics and it really made my day to read your review! Thank you for your comments, although I am sure this chapter lacks something called description… I know it was rather vague so bear with me! And tell me what you think.

**solqua , Fox Vixen , inuyasha92689 , Sesshy81: **Thank you all! Your comments are very appreciated, I hope you like this newest addition.


	3. Her Generation Car Accidents Abounding

AN: Okay then, it has been nearly a month since my last update… yeah-cue the crickets! But anyways-enjoy. OH IMPORTANT!

Ahem, lines that strike across the entire page denote flashbacks.

Little dashes such as this - denote scene changes. Now enjoy.

**For Those Who Don't HAVE to Read Between The Lines**

-

This Time Imperfect

By: Tesmoname

**Hating her Generation**

**Car Accidents Abounding**

-

"_Despite what they tell you-_

_it is **always** supposed to hurt."-_ A **quote from Ayami to Kagome, on the eve of her most recent breakup**.

-

**THE BRANCHES**tugged restlessly at her clothes, pulling loose thread and exposing reddened, criss-crossed flesh. Leaves crunched under the heel of a hardened sole, making a noise like thunder in the otherwise silence of the forest.

The racket was lost on her, however, because all she could hear was the racing tempo of her heart. All she could feel was pain on all levels of her meager existence. A feeling that was increased as she stumbled over the upturned root of a tree, falling heavily onto her knees.

A muted wail passed her chapped lips, a miracle in itself since she had never been the type of person that would wallow in denial. Never the type to drown in the depths of self pity and pain. But she figured that just this once the gods would allow her to be selfish and to grieve long, and hard till her heart was content.

That was going to be a while.

For Kagome was truly, utterly, completely stricken. Her spirit hung limply behind the sallow flesh and bones that built up her frame, and her eyes were lacking the spark of life that had always been so prominent. Dark raven locks hung flaccidly over a bare and bloody shoulder, continuing down her pale and exposed back to end in a heap on the forest floor.

Kagome's knees where tucked underneath her battered and bruised form, stinging from the various cuts and scrapes that now decorated her pale flesh. But that pain meant that she was alive…. And she had no right to be!

At this moment she should have been dead, her body littering the forest floor of the feudal era. Her eyes should have been shut tight in the throes of the deepest slumber, her breath stopped, her skin cold and still, her blood frozen in her veins. But that was not how it was.

Kagome's eyes were wide and tearful, her breath coming in erratic pants from her stained lips, her skin burning to the touch, and her blood pumping all over the floor. Her very existence was a paradox, for she truly felt that it should be her existence that was snuffed out.

Don't get the wrong idea—Kagome was always the one to look on the brighter side of things, always to find the silver lining of each situation. And she had always been able to explain things in rational, logical, common sense. But at this moment, every piece of her essence was screaming in agony, begging for the realease of her lost sleep.

Only moments ago the barrier that had been surrounding her final resting place had fallen. Some force had destroyed it with enough residual energy remaining to trigger the spell of awakening she had placed on herself.

One problem.

It was meant to be a gradual process, meant to help with the flood of memories that would, without any doubt, rush back at her in an instant. The spell was also meant to slowly rouse her body from stasis, in order for her to be healthy and fit for awakening. The enchantment she had manipulated from an old miko trick used to subdue injured patients, was set to dissolve once she reached a certain time period.

It hadn't worked out that way, obviously. She had awoken painfully aware of two problems that desired her immediate attention.

One: She had overshot her own time by at least half a year, city projects that had just begun construction when she had left for the final battle, were now completed-forever altering the Tokyo skyline.

And two: The demonic sword was still protruding from her chest.

Combined, the two issues had the desired effect-she lost her mind, as well as her grip on the rest of the spell. Strong memories full of emotion were rushing back at her with a torrent of vengeance. Fears both rational and unexplainable shadowed her skittish mind until she couldn't think coherentely.

All she knew was, it wasn't supposed to happen like this.

The barrier would fall, her body and soul would prepare itself for awakening, and then the sword would be pulled from her chest. The last bit depending on the curiosity she knew was inherent to all of man/demonic kind.

But everything was ass-backwards. Kagome had painstakingly placed her frail hands around the double-edged blade, pushing it out of her. Centuries of sleep had worn down her voice, for which she was thankful since she had no desire to be deafened by her own screams of pain.

The Tensusaiga hadn't even left a scratch in its wake.

Every nerve she possessed then shook with the fire of life, shocking and reducing her to a blubbering mass of pale flesh and bones. She had laid there upon the filthy floor as her body once again attempted to deal with the characteristics of life. Blood that for so long, had been ice in her veings, now coursed underneath her humming skin. Air burned a path down her hoarse throat and into her straining lungs, sending liquid fire from her fingers to her toes.

She would have been content to lay there for eternity had she not heard the sounds.

Something was drawing close to her.

Rationally it could have been some random cat, mouse, or dog-but all her fragile mind could think up was _'People!'_ And she was not ready to come in contact with civilization.

She ran.

And as she ran, the once steady trickle of memories began to build up, and up, until her stormy blue eyes were no longer occupied with the underbrush and foliage of the present, but rather, the emotionally straining images of her past.

Subconsciously she knew to head towards the lights of the city, as if her mind was firmly implanted with the know-how of returning home. Almost as if another presence guided her entirely.

Kagome made her way home.

-

**SHE SUPPOSED**that when life gave you lemons, then you would just make lemon meringue pie, and if push came to shove-then you could always settle for lemonade… The problem with Kagome was that she hadn't wanted to settle anymore, and though she knew it was selfish-she hadn't always wanted to be plan B. Perhaps that is the reason she was in such a predicament-maybe if she had just stuck with him till the end, _through the end_, then maybe everything would have turned out different.

Who was it who said, 'to sleep that is to say perchance we would dream, or to bare arms against the thousand arrows and slings that the flesh is heir to?' Well, she couldn't remember the saying very well, so it was no use trying to dredge up the name of some long dead poet. And who could possibly blame her lack of knowledge on herself? Kagome certainly had done as well as she could in the 21st century education system as she possibly could, what with have to balance the weight of two worlds on her shoulder and all…

You know, the usual: Having your soul stolen, having irritable hanyous try to kill you, being repeatedly beaten up or kidnapped, traveling back and forth through time, shattering mystical jewels, having to gather said jewel shards-all while fending off evil irritable hanyous trying to kill you… and not exactly in that order.

One could almost say that Kagome Higurashi led a full life.

Up until now.

But once again, her predicament was probably all her fault…

For what if she had stayed with InuYasha? What if she had continued to love him? If she had-then would she still be cursed as she was now?

Somehow, Kagome doubted that it was her ability to degrade herself that would have saved her from her current… problem. She honestly found it hard to believe that continuing to destroy her very essence for InuYasha (all in the name of love mind you) while he refused to acknowledge her would have spared her the humility, the confinement that she was to be subjugated to…

'_For the rest of your immortal existence…'_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It hadall started _after_ the Shikon jewel had been completed, and consequently, _after_ they had defeated the evil half-demon (turned full) Naraku. Of course this victory had everyone in her group in high spirits! And no one had been more festive about the joyous occasion than she…

"Oi! Kagome!" Miroku ran over to her and promptly lifted her into his arms before embracing her tightly, demon guts and all. "You've done it!"

"_We've_ done it Miroku-kun!" Kagome cried from within the folds of his robes, "I am so happy for you-you can have a life now…" There was an unspoken question in her tone of voice, and she pointedly glanced down at his cursed hand.

But the monk merely laughed uproariously, "just look" He cried, and then proceeded to unwrap his hand hastily.

"The kazanna… it is gone!"

The voice of Sango, demon exterminator and fiancée of said monk, drifted over to the pair, and then the woman raced over to enfold them in her tight grip. "This is wonderful!"

All of them were laughing, holding each other tight until the tears came.

And they did come.

"It is finally over." Kagome murmured into Sango's shoulder before backing away from the couple.

Her cobalt blue eyes fell upon the eight scattered figures that remained on the battlefield.

Briefly she nodded towards Kagura and Kana who nodded in return before lifting into the sky… leaving behind the unconscious figure of Kohaku, who was being guarded by the fierce Kirara.

"I am so glad for you Sango. I hope that you two will-you know, be okay." She finished off lamely, tucking a rouge strand of hair behind her ear.

The taiyjia merely nodded her head, even as her eyes misted over in determination. "Yes, we will be fine.. thanks to you."

Kagome blushed modestly before shrugging her shoulders. "We all did it." She repeated to herself.

Still, her restless eyes skimmed over the last four figures of Sesshoumaru-sama and his ward, Rin. He too caught her eyes from across the littered site and held her gaze wearily.

The demon lord of the West had come to settle his own personal score with Naraku, but had in-turn been a vital role in his defeat. And for that she was eternally grateful.

'_I coul-we could never have defeated Naraku without him.'_ Kagome thought to herself before mouthing to him the words, 'thank you.' Her eyes broadcasting the same message ten-fold.

The stoic Taiyoukai dipped his head in grudging respect before allowing his own flinty gaze to settle upon the final members of the team.

InuYasha and Kikyo stood side-by-side, yet not touching… just waiting.

"Oh right!" Kagome exclaimed before hurrying up to the pair. "Here InuYasha, the Shikon no Tama." Her voice carried on across the barren surfaces of Mt. Hakurei, her words eliciting shocked responses from all who heard her.

Even InuYasha looked surprised, but it quickly faded to sorrow. "No Kagome, you know that I am… that I am going to-with Kikyo." His voice was low and broke several times.

Miroku and Sango both opened their mouths to protest, and Sesshoumaru's scoff could clearly be heard not some seven feet away, but it was Kagome who spoke first.

"Kikyo, InuYasha-why can't you stay?" The young miko girl looked at her first love and best friend beseechingly before turning her gaze to her former incarnate. "I can wish for Kikyo to come back to life…"

"No-

"Kagome-sama your soul!"

The hanyou before her hissed angrily, "stupid girl, we can't do that and you know it."

"And why not InuYasha?" She murmured back angrily, attempting to keep her voice low. Kagome knew she was fighting a loosing battle, and no-she didn't really want to die, but neither was she so eager to see the man she loved swallowed by the flames of hell.

'_The man I loved… loved._'

Surprisingly it had been more painful for InuYasha than it had been for her. She had merely pulled him aside before the last battle and had said her voice full of exhaustion (that of the heart ilk), "_InuYasha… let me go._'

And she had to admit to herself that she was making it pretty hard for him to do so if she was offering him a chance at life… still!

"Why not?" Kagome repeated quietly.

Surprisingly, it was Kikyo who spoke, "my time in this realm has long since passed me by, dear Kagome… please do not make me suffer the rebirth of a conscience within my soul… let us go."

And she did…

It wasn't until afterwards that Kagome thought she should have argued harder, if only on InuYasha's behalf-but to be fair the time traveling school girl's heart was heavy and her sorrows were begging to be set free.

And then they had come back to the village, where she was greeted with the sight of her loving son and dotting mentor/grandmother. Both of which were just as joyous at the news that Naraku was dead, and the Shikon was restored… both of which were just as heartbroken at the news that InuYasha would never come back…

'_Never ever…'_

Kagome had to go away for a while to cry.

And then Shippou had reminded the group that something had to be done about the Sacred Jewel.

"We can't just leave it in existence for another Onigumo to lust after." He said to the group when they had settled down in Kaede's hut.

Miroku nodded down towards the kitsune pup, "Shippou is right, a pure and unselfish wish must be made upon the jewel in order to end its grievous cycle." He leaned forward and peered thoughtfully into the fire, "the wish that Kagome-sama-

"Kagome, Miroku."

"Ah yes, sorry. The wish that _Kagome_ had wanted to make would have done rather nicely I think."

Kagome's head shot up and Sango's eyes narrowed. "Do you think that we can make that wish if I alter it to have her memory-

"NO!" the unanimous proclamation sent Kagome back on her rear end, looking more or less scared out of her mind.

Sango glared at the monk before slapping him upside the head. "Now what good did that observation warrant baka?" She asked angrily, frightened at the thought of her long-time friend loosing her soul to the one time dead miko.

"Kagome-sama, I think that Kikyo-sama's time on this earth has passed-and InuYasha-sama will feel his place is by her side…" It was Kohaku who spoke up from his corner of the dimly lit hut, a fraying blanket draped haphazardly over his shoulders. His wide, honey brown eyes bore into her own with a quiet sort of confidence-one that was slowly but surely crumbling under memories.

She was unable to look away from his gaze, and her mouth hung open slightly… "You're right." Her words shocked everyone present since they thought she would put up more of a fight…

And then came the tears.

"I just… I thought that maybe if I could just bring him back-bring them both back-then maybe… just maybe I wouldn't feel so bad about letting him go!" Her voice had risen slowly, building into a crescendo of pent up emotion that spilled forth from between her lips and her eyes.

Kagome sobbed brokenly into the fire, "I told him to let me go-I told him that I didn't want to love him anymore!" And then she jumped to her feet and shouted, "and now my lies… now I wont ever SEE HIM AGAIN!"

And just like that she ran out of the door, ripping the mat off of its flimsy hinges. All five of the residents watched her leave, their eyes wide and sorrow-filled.

"She-she just needs time right?" Sango whispered hesitantly.

No one answered.

The young kitsune leapt away from Kirara and exclaimed, "Well I am going to find ka-san before she does something really stupid!"

And then there was three…

"Hey Miroku-sama?"

The young monk glanced over at his soon to be brother-in-law and forced a smile, "What is it Kohaku? And call me Miroku."

Kohaku swallowed nervously and nodded, he then licked his lips and asked, "what do you think Shippou meant when he said…"

Sango jumped in fiercely, "Kagome wouldn't do anything drastic! She just needs time."

But the monk looked less assured, "perhaps Sango, she wouldn't do it on purpose."

The taiyjia woman glared in frustration, "then what are we worried about!"

Again a silence decended upon the small hut before Miroku cursed, loudly.

"She has the Shikon no Tama."

Yet even as the remainder of the group surged to their feet, a strangled cry erupted through the forest, "KAGOME!"

-

**SHE READIED**the arrow and took immaculate aim, her cobalt blue eyes staring straight down the line created by her finger and the arrow to the red of the bull's eye. Gently, ever so gently, she shifted her position until her stance felt comfortable, and repeated the process over and over as if to burn it forever into her memory.

And then that was it.

She fired.

Pink, then blue swirled chaotically around the once mundane shaft, transforming it into a legendary hamaya-prime weapon of the long extinct Miko's.

Scratch that… _believed_ extinct. For Kagome Higurashi most assuredly was a miko, and one to be reckoned with. Although at one time that may not have been true, over the years of fleeing and fighting against demons for her life, Shikon shards, and the lives of her friends, Kagome had gradually built up her tableau of skills. It had of course, taken time and many painful lessons at the hands of enemies, taijia's, and even taiyoukai's.

She liked to believe that all of that hard, and painful, work had paid off… she liked to believe that it was the patients and the love given training of her friends that had given her the strength-not to defeat Naraku-but to live forever with the burden that came afterwards.

'_What a horrible word.'_ She thought to herself angrily as she began to punch and kick the air around her methodically. After-so few syllables containing such a mess… _After _defeating Naraku, after piecing together the jewel, after InuYasha kept his promise, after she had been given the jewel. After gaining immortality-gifting her with the ability to watch her son grow and mature, cursing her with separation of her family across time, and condemning her to watch her friends age and fade.

That was why _after_ all was said and done, Kagome was alone and with the weight of two worlds still resting on her shoulder. The Jewel lived on inside of her, as her. All of the wars and the blood spilt in the past rested within her chest, beating and pulsing to the rhythm of her broken heart-for she also carried another dead weight… InuYasha's love.

Of course, Kagome had known all along that the hanyou would go to hell with his dead lover, and she had slowly but surely come to terms with it by thinking that the man she loved, loved her reincarnation even more.

But nothing was ever that simple.

He had loved her. InuYasha had loved Kagome since, well, since forever… he just didn't love her enough.

With this knowledge weighing upon her she had pulled him aside to sever the ties between them… and thus had allowed him to go into hell…

And it was that information that had broken her heart-it had been that information that had nearly damned the Jewel to be forever tainted. Because Kagome had been so distraught, she had nearly wished upon the Jewel for vengeance-only stopping when she saw her reflection in the jewel.

'_I had such a horrible face._'

It was true, the face that had stared back at her was too distorted to be her own…

She shuddered at the memory, the starry night sky casting her face in shadow, _'It is a new moon out…'_ she thought to herself, noticing the absence of the glowing orb.

But of course she had already known at what phase the moon was at tonight-call it a sixth sense, or an instinct.

Souta watched his sister as she fired off her arrows into the dawn, she had been training herself ever since she had returned about two weeks ago. She had been found by their mother on the steps to their shrine, broken, bloody, and asleep.

Since she had been awake she had been pushing her body to its limits in an attempt to dull the effects of the memories that were still catching up with her. And as they came she slowly but surely progressed.

"Kagome?" He whispered from the shadows beneath the Goshinboku.

She turned towards him. "Yes Souta?"

"Since you're up," he began, "why don't we get a head start on our chores?"

One elegant eyebrow kicked up on her forehead, "Chores-Souta?"

Her little brother, who was about as tall as her, narrowed his eyes even as pink tinged his cheeks, "Yeah well, you know, with grandpa being sick and mom working I figured we could help out. Besides," he stumbled a little as he made his way over to her, "it's been a while since we just, um, hung out."

Kagome smiled, "Sure thing Souta! Maybe we can go see a movie too."

His eyes widened, "And then we can come back here and you can train me."

She was nodding, excited to be spending time with her brother. "Sure thing, I can even-oh hold up!" His words caught up with her. Kagome put her hands on her hips, "Souta!"

But the boy was already racing down the shrine steps. "You said it! Not me!"

"That was a dirty trick Souta! Come back here!" She cried as she raced after him into downtown Tokyo. "Souta! SOUTA!"

Her face was still split with a dazzling smile.

-

**CHAOS**. Complete and utter chaos reigned supreme within the hazy depths of the Spirit World. And somewhere amongst this chaos sat a weeping child like god, his miniature frame shaking with exhaustion.

There were so many complications! Even tucked away in the corners of a random, abandoned storage closet, the deity could not escape the events of that past few hours. It was these moments that had set in motion the uproar that had reverberated throughout the expanse of all three realms. And Koenma had no idea what to do about it.

As far as he was aware, his father was… 'unable' to provide any assistance with the matters at hand. And that tidbit of info is what had sent him scurrying away from the masses that congregated in his tiny office.

That and the fact that he had to compose himself for the meeting.

Koenma was supposed to great and meet, as well as recognize officially the new heir of the Western Lands… a kitsune demon with powers to be reckoned with, he would have to be on good terms with this youkai if he wished to pertain free passage on his lands for the rekai-tachi. Something that would undoubtedly be helpful for Yusuke and crew.

But there were other reasons as to why he wished to speak with this particular demon… to recap just a few: The previous and most powerful lord of the Western lands had just died, there were reports of unauthorized magicks in use around the Makai, he had lost track of his team hours ago.

All in all, the immortal felt undeniably screwed.

And then there was a faint rapping on his chamber door, or rather-the entrance to the broom closet. "Koenma sir?"

The child ruler quickly dried his tears and composed himself. "What is it George? I am very busy!"

The blue office assistant rolled his eyes on the other side, "Doing what? Are you organizing our brooms alphabetically?" The sarcasm did not go unnoticed by the frazzled demi god, who launched himself from the cupboard in retaliation.

"Why you little blue balled-bastard!" His fingers took ona more slender form as they wrapped themselves around George's throat, choking off his air.

"You scrawny, good for nothing demon!" He sputtered as the yellow haired creature fought to intake oxygen.

From behind the duo there came a loud and embarrassed cough, courtesy of Botan herself. "Ah, sir. I am pleased to present to you-

She trailed off and gestured awkwardly to the tall Taiyoukai besides her, "um, Lord Aishippomaru." A bright crimson stained her cheeks as the gallant kistune winked at her and scolded.

"Now now, everybody calls me Shippo, I would ask no less of you my dear."

"Lord Shippo then!" Koenma yelled, having dropped the office aid to the floor. "I assume this is just a formality? You've come to be formally recognized as the heir to the Western provinces?"

Shippo nodded, "Partially, yes. However I am aware that such things could be done without my personal appearance needing to be made, I am sure both of us would agree that in such a desperate hour, it would be counter-productive," he made a disdainful gesture behind him, indicating the uproar taking place in the great halls of the Rekai.

The demi god let loose a long suffering sigh, "Indeed."

"I came, in fact to inquire about something much more… personal." His green eyes twinkled.

Feeling a little more than a little like the receiving end of kitsune mischief Koenma swallowed, "And that might be?"

"The Shikon no Tama."

'_Well Shit.'_

-

**THE KITTEN**purred happily to herself as she pulled the half eaten fish from the dumpster. She was not a very sophisticated animal, but to her this was the crème-de la-crème of roadside eatery.

'_Yum' _She thought to herself as she lapped up the fishy delight. Her purr of happiness however, quickly morphed into a yowl of anger as a wretched magpie began to drag her find away.

'_Wretched, wretched birdie! Taking my precious!'_ With determination set in her eyes she chased after that nasty, nasty bird. Right into the street.

The mangy kitten pounced onto the carcass right as the blaring of horns sounded in her ears, next accompanied by the squealing of brakes.

She was suddenly hurled and tipped forwards, surrounded by warm, strong arms. The not-so-bright kitten stared up at the man who had just saved her from a rather unseemly death.

"KUWABARA! What the fuck do you think! Did you not see… why did you?" The kitten watched from under the man called Kuwabara as three more figures ran across the street.

"Yusuke I am fine-

"Kuwabara? Did you not see the car coming down the road, at 65 MILES PER HOUR?" The boy know as Yusuke had rather slicked, black hair with a pair of amber eyes to match.

However, the other man, the one with blood red hair stared down into her eyes directly and blinked several times. "Oh my…"

"YOU DUMBASS! Have you DIED lately? Because I HAVE and it is NOT FUN-

But the emerald eyed boy shook his head in silent laughter before pointing down at her position from beneath her large protector.

'_They are all so… tall. And they are all so-_

A figure dressed in black entered her immediate vision, and she suddenly found herself starring into hauntingly crimson eyes..

'_So very pretty._'

But the smallest of the quartet scowled down at her before looking away.

And even though the other red head had pointed her out as the cause for Kuwabara's miraculous dive into traffic, it did nothing to eliminate his anger.

"Kuwabara…"

"What is it Urameshi?"

"Please, please tell us that you did not, did not just risk your sorry little ASS AS WELL AS OUR-

The black clad demon with gravity defying hair fingered the white bandana that wrapped around his head, "Ours Urameshi? Hn, don't flatter yourself. I doubt Kurama or myself are lacking the brains to save this idiot." His words were finished with a sneer towards her savior, causing her to glare up at him with venom.

'_Why that little pri-_

"You had better not be talking about her shrimp!" Kuwabara yelled, still in a kneeling position, his hands resting around her hips. " 'Cuz if you are-

"Please calm down you guys." The peacemaker of the group was obviously the one they called Kurama, "I am sure that Hiei," he glared over at the fire apparition, "did not intend to insult your… friend."

"Well-that still doesn't make it okay!"

Then Yusuke cut back in, throwing his hands up in frustration. "WHO GIVES A FLYING FUCK? It is just A CAT!"

Kuwabara then lowered his face to hers and grinned lopsidedly, "Yeah well," he lifted her out from under him and stood, "she is a pretty cat."

"Meow."

Yusuke looked about ready to blow a fuse before he took in a deep, long suffering sigh and calmed his frazzled nerves. To be honest, the entire team was on edge and had been ever since two weeks ago when they had been sent on that bogus mission.

Koenma had been above and beyond pissed to learn that there was absolutely nothing of value hidden inside the fortress walls. _'What do you mean 'nothing?'_

'_Just like it sounds, there was nothing there.'_

And there wasn't. Hiei had angrily smashed through several walls in a futile attempt to locate whatever it is they had been searching for.

What they had been sure they would find.

None of them were pleased, sure that Koenma had been sending them on yet another bogus mission. Though Kurama adamantly rejected the idea that there hadn't been something there before.

They had all sensed something in one way or another.

'_What do we do now?'_

'_I don't know, this changes everything… keep your eyes open for anything unusual.'_

An extremely vague criteria.

-

**KAGOME**thought she would remember the coffee for the rest of eternity.

Normally it was a substance that she could not get enough of, and ever since her revival she was seldom seen in the early hours without the caffeinated beverage. It was a necessity, she would say when defending the cappuccino that was nearly always at hand.

She didn't actually like the taste, personal preference tending to be more on the bland side. Coffee was just too sharp to be consumed luxuriously.

She had been starring down into her thermostat, the warm tones of the drink wafting up into her face, calming her senses. The distinguished scents from her cup helped her blur and soften the smells of the city she was living in. And so she was walking the streets with her face nearly impaled in the steaming liquid.

Souta trailed on behind her, glaring at her from behind the multiple groceries he was carrying. Not that he could complain, Kagome was hefting more bags with her one arm while he had the advantage of two. But that didn't mean he liked seeing her waltzing through Tokyo with the glaze of remembrance on her eyes.

"Kagome, wait up." He called, skirting around a group of boys busy fussing over some mangy cat, hoping to capture her undivided attention.

It didn't work.

She was thinking about how, even surrounded by millions of bustling pedestrians, she was completely alone.

Kagome was crossing the street in a trance-like state when a man brushed past her, knocking her thermos away from her face.

It wasn't quite noon yet. But at the time she had reached this rather busy square, the sun was already on its path to its zenith, and people were bustling to and fro between cars and stop lights. With her senses no longer muffled, the combined sensations of the city took over.

Her pupils shrunk drastically at the sudden rush of lights. Smells and sounds assaulted her, and the toxins in the air made her gasp for one collective moment. Her sense of balance felt askew, which was really, really rare for her. This combined with her lack of sleep thoroughly disoriented her-until a shout erupted from behind her… and a car blared its horn from about three meters away… _'Well shit…'_ She didn't have the ability to scream but…

"Kagome look out!"

She was sure that she would remember the coffee for the rest of eternity. Not that she could feel it.

Though it had been scalding hot, she felt nothing but numbness sink into her, as if her veins had been filled with ice. She did think, though, that it all looked rather stunning.

The world had somehow lost all of its color, sepia and grays flooded her vision, washing her with a sense of surreal-ness. But she could see the dark brown of her coffee, though she could not yet feel it during her descent onto the darkened asphalt.

Once her body landed, another color began to mingle into her peripheral vision.

Red.

It mixed well with the chocolate tones of her coffee, swirling around and around each other in a work of art that made her surprisingly calm.

Calm enough to ask herself, _'Did I wait 500 years just to die by a car? A car?'_

Needless to say, it was not the way the Miko of legends had planned to go out. Still, she figured in her subdued state that cars might as well be the demons of the modern age. Though if that was the case then she severely hated her generation.

Suddenly, the cotton that had been muffling the sounds of the world around her was removed, exposing her sensitive hearing to the blaring of sirens heading her way. And then, just as suddenly, she could feel again. The blissful numbness was washed away, replaced with scalding agony, and red.

With a broken moan her head lolled over to the side, and her eyes fell upon another's haughty crimson gaze.

More red.

And then the dark figure was gone, his patronizing look with him… It was the last sight she took with her before…

Ending up about ten feet from where she had been previously.

"What the heck?" She cried. Her wide blue eyes attempting to take in everything. Directly below her laid the broken and mangled corpse of… well, of herself. And right besides her was her tearful brother, the groceries scattered around him.

There was the ambulance, the car that hit her, and all of the rubbernecking citizens who shook their heads dolefully.

"What the heck!" She repeated, fisting her translucent hands in her hair. "I cant be dead!" Kagome cried, floating down to the nearest group of pedestrians.

She approached the three boys in desperation and waved her hands all over, "HEY! Look at me! I cant die like this! Get over their and… and… wake me up!"

The tallest of the three turned blue in the face and wailed terribly.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Kuwabara?" One of the others yelled, his hands fisted in his green pockets as he surveyed the scene with disbelief.

The orange haired one, whom she assumed was Kuwabara replied, "Er, Yusuke, I think that that chicks ghost is right here."

Kagome gasped in surprised delight. "Yes yes yes! I am right here. Right HERE!"

But the angry boy, Yusuke, didn't act nearly as surprised as her. "Really? Well then," his dark chestnut eyes swept the area around them as he spoke, "Hey dead girl," he said with a smirk on his face. "Surprised to be dead?"

The time traveling miko gasped in outrage, "Why you little punk! I would think that answer was obvious!"

The remaining member of their group glared at Yusuke in disapproval, "You show respect for the dead."

"Psh, whatever. I just wish I could see her face when she hears that, had she walked in the street five seconds sooner, this dumb-ass here would have saved her instead of this cat."

Kuwabara growled, "Stop being such an ass Yusuke! This poor girl's probably very afraid right now, and look at her brother over there."

Kagome turned back to the wreckage and felt tears sting her eyes, her brother was yelling with absolution that his sister could not be dead.

"No no, you don't understand! She just came back! She JUST came back and she was going to hang out with me today!" Souta cried as he fought to get closer to her body. "She isn't dead. Kagome! Come on Kagome knock it off!" He stepped on one of the oranges from his brown paper sack as he wrestled with the ambulance team. "NO! Don't put that on her, don't you dare put her in that bag!" He screamed.

"Kagome! Please, please Kagome! Come back, you just came back!" Souta sobbed, his arms and legs going limp under him. "You just came back."

Kuwabara set down the cat and walked over to the boy. "Hey," he whispered, his eyes radiating sorrow, "It's gonna be okay kid."

Yusuke scowled, "This is really shitty, and creepy. Reminds me of the first time I died."

Kagome whirled around from her levitated position and stared unbelievingly at the punk. "What?" She questioned, although it was obvious to her that no one would answer.

The other boy nodded in agreement, "Yes, it is rather eerie. You came back to life though, after your car accident-though you were lucky. If you hadn't had spiritual powers then I doubt Koenma would have bothered."

"Meh. You're probably right. Oh shit, look, there goes the ambulance. Let's go help Kuwabara with that kid.

She was about to follow them when she felt a shooting pain coursing throughout her entire soul. "What the hell is happening to me!" She shouted out.

"Well, you and I have the same questions then." The cheery voice that answered her cry belonged to a strange blue haired girl, sitting atop an old rusted oar. Her large pink eyes glared at her, "Because whatever it is, it's causing you to fade."

Kagome gasped, "Wha-

And then all she could see was black.

For real.

She felt pain all up and down her spine, and her eyes were soar from the pin prick of light that traveled through the seems of the bag she was in. With a shrill cry Kagome began tearing her way out of the morgue bag, her mind reeling with the sensations of once again, returning to life.

"Let me out, let me out, let me out!" She screamed in unison with the squealing brakes and muffled curses of surprise as the ambulance shuddered to a halt.

-

**"HEY, **I'm really sorry but we have to get you to your folks." Yusuke said, trying to get some sense into the shell shocked youth.

"My parents." Souta replied, his voice dull and monotonous.

Yusuke sighed, "Yeah, your parents. Do you know how to get a hold of them?"

The boy didn't even blink, but continued to stare at the blood spattered area on the cement, "Kagome had the cell phone."

Kuwabara laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Maybe we should take him to a hospital, he doesn't look so good."

Kurama nodded in agreement and knelt before the kid, "I think he is just in shock."

There was a long pause before the boy replied, "Wouldn't you be?"

The trio stared at him for a moment, each privately playing out a scenario where one of their loved ones was lost. Yusuke cursed, "Well we have to drop him off somewhere!" He turned and glared at the boy who was still unresponsive to his surroundings.

"This is just not my day." He snarled to no one in particular.

"Not your day?" An overly cheerful voice replied.

The spirit detectives turned as Botan made her way to the scene of the accident. "Yusuke! You didn't just die, or," she hastily added, "just watch a relative die. Or sorta die. Well, whatever it is you call it."

Kurama raised on elegant eyebrow, "What?"

Yusuke was also confused, "Sorta died? Botan, I'm not in the mood for your puzzles and shit okay?"

The ferry girl 'humphed' and crossed her arms over her chest. "Really, as if what I have to say isn't important!"

"THEN get to it!"

She waved her hand a little up the street. "Just look for yourselves," she said a little smugly as they all turned to do so.

What they saw shocked them, the ambulance was stopped in the middle of the street, the back doors flung wide open to reveal the EMTs wrestling with what had previously been a dead girl.

"LET ME GO!" She screamed, trying to pry her way out of the black bag that was pooled around her waist. "I'm not dead! I'm not dead!"

The boy looked up and broke into a smile.

Yusuke just shook his head.

'_Well shit.'_

_-------------------------------------------------------------_

**AN: **There was a reoccurring theme to this chapter. It took me forever to write and in the end it didn't turn out the way I had thought it would at all. I feel a little disappointed in it, not sure why. But this chapter was FULL of events and such, maybe things moved a little too fast? Sorry, I just can't stand writing filler chapters. I cant do it either. _'Well shit'_ was the theme. And the kitten was inspired by Golemn from LoTR.

So send me some feedback.

Hope you like.

Tesmoname


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